Heritage Master Plan - CoE

Heritage Master Plan A new participative planning instrument for heritage and landscape in Flanders

Nineteenth Council of Europe Meeting of the Workshops for the Implementation of the

European Landscape Convention Workshop 4: Local democracy for the landscape: participation and commitment

Sarah De Meyer Flanders Heritage Agency

Content

1. Heritage Master Plan and Action Programme 1. Legal framework 2. Methodology

2. Pilot projects 1. Traditional orchards in the region of Haspengouw 2. Historical limestone quarries and mines in the town of Riemst

3. Conclusion

1. The Heritage Master Plan and Action Programme

Legal Framework Immovable Heritage Decree 12/7/2013 Evolution of limited participation to cross-sectoral consensus to landscape democracy Heritage Master Plan = new instrument

integrated landscape approach general landscape care participation on governmental level but also with all stakeholders, including local communities and land owners not legally binding but an agreement: Action Programme

What does the Decree say?

Thematic or geographic Heritage values as starting point Vision on future development Implementation by an Action Programme and a broad range of instruments (not only heritage instruments) Approval of the vision by the Flemish Government, revisable at any time Sectoral proposal for spatial planning and land development

Aim:

more participation and transparency in decision-making generate supported solutions for more complex challenges

Methodology Challenges:

General methodology for all Heritage Master Plans but allowing for enough flexibility to adapt the approach to specific needs (themes/areas) Involvement of stakeholders early in the process transparency

Validation by the minister in October 2016

How to draw up a HMP? INITIATION

EXPLORATION

PLANNING

RESEARCH

VISIONING

VALIDATION

EVALUATION

EXECUTION

Stakeholder analysis

declaration of commitment Define project scope together with primary partners

project plan + communication plan + participation plan sectoral research intensive consultation of all stakeholders

research rapport + process note V.1 Making choices together with all stakeholders

draft HMP/AP + process note V.2 Validation by primary partners and Flemish government

approved HMP/AP + process note V.3 Evaluation of the process

final report Execution of Action Programme

2. Pilot projects

When will we use the Heritage Master Plan?

Broad interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral approach is paramount The landscape is not assigned a purely cultural-historic interpretation More complex situations involving different interests and stakeholders and need for innovative solutions Two pilot projects

Traditional orchards in Haspengouw Limestone quarries and mines in Riemst

Traditional Orchards in Haspengouw

Haspengouw

Rural Region in the South-East of Flanders (Province of Limburg) 17 municipalities 868 km² Fruit production & Tourism

Landscape evolution

Orchard belts around the villages: orchard pastures

Landscape evolution

• Agricultural intensification (low-stem)

• Urbanisation

Problems Loss of landscape quality Shift in appreciation ‘Policy Gap’ Lack of economic value uneven distribution between benefits and burdens Neglection and management problems Little Cherry Disease

Initiation

Many stakeholders have different interests

Need for an integrated approach adapted to the specific regional singularity and needs of the traditional orchards

Need for a shared vision Heritage Nature Agriculture Tourism Farmers / owners

Need for cross-sectoral actions

Initiation Exploration Planning Research Visioning Validation Evaluation Execution

Exploration: Stakeholderanalysis

Government Sectoral Organisations Individuals


Exploration

Primary partners: 2 steering committees = decision making Regional committee:

Flemish departments, agencies and research institutions of Heritage, Nature and Forest Conservation, Land Management, Agriculture, Spatial planning and Tourism

Experts: National Orchards Organization, Regional Landscape Organization of Haspengouw Local Committee

Provincial administrations Regional Tourist Organization Local governments (17)

Cross-sectoral Research group Heritage Agency Institute of Nature and Forest Research Institute of Agricultural Research ‘flying’ researchers


Declaration of commitment Scope: “We want to cherish the traditional orchards as valuable region-specific landscape elements and work together on a sustainable preservation of these orchards in a dynamic landscape” Press conference: political commitment

Planning

the Declaration of Commitment is the kick-off for the communication and participation process Project Plan:

2017: Research 2018: Visioning and Action Program

Communication Plan and Participation Plan not yet developed Use communication channels of all partners General ideas for participation process:

E-platform for all stakeholders Consultation Crowd sourcing

offline participation moments with special emphasis on owners


Research

Cross-sectoral Research Group + thesis students + … Research topics

Overall overview of landscape evolution and current situation Appreciation of traditional orchards and landscape

Sectoral appreciation (Heritage, Nature) Ecosystem Services approach Aspects of traditional orchards Local appreciation of orchards (as part of the traditional landscape)

Screening of (policy) instruments Evaluation of existing instruments Bench marking

(Motivational research)


Historical limestone quarries and mines in the town of Riemst

Situation Small municipality in the South-East of Flanders Only region in Flanders with historical limestone quarries and mines Located underneath the houses

The limestone quarries Late medieval origin, used as local building stone Later uses:

refuge in times of war stock food grow mushrooms

Values: Mining landscape (historical as well as aesthetic value) Inscriptions and drawings Home for bats: nature!

The limestone quarries

Problems Some parts of the mines are instable: risk to collapse

public safety Impact on people when applying for building permit

condition of stabilization Filling the mines impacts their heritage value and is very expensive

Collapsed Filled with concrete

Initiation

Main goal: Develop a vision that strives for a good balance between stabilisation and preserving heritage at a reasonable cost

Clarify choices between heritage, nature and public safety


Exploration

Only two direct partners (governmental level): The council of Riemst Agency of Nature and Forestry (Bat protection)

Key group Volunteers research of the mines

Other stakeholders: Stability experts Inhabitants (including owners) Other local groups


Exploration

Declaration of commitment: december 2016 Clear distribution of tasks and agreement of the publication of data

Flanders Heritage Agency: Heritage Values Municipality of Riemst: stabilization

Agreement on publication Agency of Nature and Forestry: habitat value

In preparation


Planning Initiation Exploration Planning Research Visioning Validation Evaluation Execution

Project planning Communication- and participation plan:

Introduction to public on press conference of book Consultation about values, concerns, expectations

Inhabitants (including owners): evening/market Local interest groups: focus groups Stability experts: focus groups

Research: Input from consultation phase Heritage, nature and stabilisation

Visioning phase Workshops with evaluation of different scenario’s

Research

3. Conclusion

Participation and commitment

Great expectations …

Collaboration on different levels Importance of declaration of commitment to get the political level involved (press attention) Every actor can use own instruments Problem of ‘ownership’ of HMP

Participation of the public Societal appreciation and needs

Commitment

Action Programme is not binding No monitoring included in process

Thank you

[email protected] [email protected] (orchards project) [email protected] (quarries project)

mailto:[email protected]



Documents

Heritage Master Plan - CoE